University of Cape Town Drama Department
The Drama Department of the University of Cape Town, often referred to as UCT Drama Department.
History
University of Cape Town Conservatoire of Music and Prof Bell
In the Stal Plein Hotel ("Stable Square Hotel"), the home of the South African College of Music (SACM) at the University of Cape Town, Prof William Henry Bell did his first productions of plays, an activity which would lead to the founding of the Department of Speech and Drama in 19**.
The first such a production was Everyman in 19**, directed by Bell.
Minna Freund was appointed head of Speech Training
Ruth Peffers and her Drama School
Peffer's Drama School was founded in Cape Town by Ruth Peffers in 19**.
In 1938 students from the school did The Old Maid by Akins, under the direction of Leontine Sagan in the Little Theatre Cape Town. Rosalie van der Gucht taught there when she first came to South Africa.
The University of Cape Town Drama School
In 19** Peffer's Drama School became the Drama School of the University of Cape Town, with Ruth Peffers as first head.
Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies
In 2018 the Department of Drama and the School of Dance merged into one entity focusing on the study of performance in general, with specialisations in theatre and dance. The Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies offers a BA and a 3-year diploma in theatre and performance.
Programmes
UCT Drama Residency
The UCT Drama Residency(Cape Town) provides an opportunity for highly skilled black theatre practitioners to provide role models for the student body; to influence the aesthetic of the work produced by the department and to bring a strong black African perspective to current debate and working methods. MOST SUCCESSFUL ACT-FUNDED PROJECT AWARD 2005
Venues
The Little Theatre
An interdisciplinary unit run in association with UCT’s Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, the Little Theatre provides theatre spaces and facilities for theatre research at UCT as well as production opportunities for theatre, film and television companies, and community groups. The theatre coordinates a programme of classical, contemporary and experimental student productions throughout the academic year. Facilities include a scenery workshop, a costume wardrobe, and furniture and properties stores.
Notes to be EDITED
from TimeOut[1]
The Little Theatre Complex on Orange Street is home to the University of Cape Town's drama and fine arts departments. It's also where you'll find this theatre trio. Ironically, the Little Theatre is the biggest of the three, with seats for 240 people, with the Intimate and Arena offering space for about 70-80 folks. The threesome showcases a tombola of delights, from cutting-edge plays by critically acclaimed playwrights to work by emerging performers and students. There's also a poster-plastered bar for pre-show socialising.
http://www.timeout.com/cape-town/theatre/venue/1%3A23782/little-theatre-complex
The Intimate Theatre
A rehearsal venue built in the 1950s, revamped and turned into a professional theatre in 2002.
See Intimate Theatre
The Baxter Theatre
The Baxter Theatre Centre, designed by Jack Barnett, opened on 1 August 1977. It came into being as the result of a bequest from the late Dr W. Duncan Baxter who, in his will, bequeathed an amount of money to the University of Cape Town for the purpose of establishing a theatre which would, in the words of Dr Baxter, “develop and cultivate the arts in Cape Town and the adjacent districts”.
For more information, see Baxter Theatre.
Sources
Donald Inskip, 1972.
Baxter Theatre Official Website, https://baxter.uct.ac.za/history-2
https://www.uct.ac.za/explore-uct/arts-and-culture
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